Sarah's Mission Adventures!: Birthday!! December 9, 2013 email

I had a great birthday! And I actually got your birthday package on Monday so I was DYING all week - but more on that later.

This week was really good! It was time for exchanges with the STLs again. I stayed here in 5th ward with Sister Jones and, once again, learned a lot from her. Oh, and here's a fun tale: So, Sister Keihle is the assigned driver, so I haven't driven this transfer. When Sister Keihle was gone, I got to drive. Guess what happened on Wednesday, when we had exchanges? We got somewhere between 6 to 8 inches of snow. Yippee!! I hate driving in snow, but it must be done. I didn't wreck anything or hurt anyone, so we're all good here.

This week we re-put our investigator Debbie on date for this Saturday! She's getting baptized! We're so excited for her. We also put Joyce on date for January 4th. Joyce is a little nervous and isn't sure if she'll be ready by then... She's going to be SO READY! Joyce is easily the most prepared investigator I have ever met. I taught her with Sister Jones on Wednesday, and after we left Sister Jones told me that Joyce was the most golden investigator ever. I love her so much, and not just for that. Joyce has such a desire to learn. She has said that she had been looking for a home and that she thinks she's found it. Oh the joy!!!

Sister Keihle and I taught the HARDEST lesson of our lives on Thursday. It was to this couple who were asking us these deep, doctrinal questions. They were mostly about the nature of the Godhead and the premortal life. oh boy. We were not smart enough to adequately answer them. Brother Groves, our ward mission leader, said that we should take him to our next lesson with them. (Brother Groves is a lawyer... and you can tell. Hahaha.)

So, my birthday was on Friday. Sister Keihle made me pancakes for breakfast, the singles ward sisters took me out for lunch (at this sandwich restaurant called Which Wich?, which is really good!), we did service, and we had our ward Christmas party! Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling too well on that day and was really tired. I asked the elders to give me a blessing. It was really great and I really, really appreciated it. I also realized that that was only the 2nd time in my life I've gotten a blessing of healing. Sadly, on Saturday I had to spend the day in bed. I had a case of stomach flu and I really wasn't able to do much. Which is the WORST as a missionary because all you want to do is work!! But I recovered pretty swiftly and was totally ready for church on Sunday (after seeking some much-needed "mom advice" from Sister Rasmussen, one of our ward missionaries").

Thank you so much for all the love you sent me for my birthday! It was a great day and a great week! By next Monday I'll be able to tell you if I'm staying or being transferred! Stay tuned!

Love you!!!!

Love, Sister Noakes

So, like I mentioned - lot of snow Tuesday night. A little more fell on Saturday night as well. This is apparently very un-Grand Junction like, but oh well. I haven't fallen on ice, at least not yet.

Oh, so funny quote of the week: at the ward Christmas party we sat with the Steeles (that's Brittanie's family, who we had Sister Keihle's birthday dinner with? Yeah? Okay). As they were leaving Sister Keihle mentioned that it was my birthday, and Sister Steele goes "What, it's your birthday? We could have fed you raw chicken!" I laughed a lot.

Birthday pictures! I didn't get to make the brownies you sent yet, but Sister Cope and Sister Joslin brought over that brownie with the candle in the morning, and I blew out the candle that night. Haven't eaten the brownies yet since I hadn't been feeling too great. Hahahaha. (Please ignore how huge my forehead looks in that one picture....)